myDATA: Introduction to Programming for Neuroscientists

Modified: July 25, 2017

This quarter-long workshop will introduce basic programming concepts and teach participants the Python language. It will consist of in-person classes and weekly take-home exercises supported by open labs and online help from instructors and a teaching assistant. The content is focused on programming for general data analysis and processing, not neurology-specific techniques or methods. While the workshop will be conducted in Python, participants will learn programming fundamentals that will transfer to other languages and programs. This workshop is part of the myDATA: Preparing Science PhDs for Careers in a Data-Driven World Program, year-long program that provides science PhD students and postdoctoral fellows with training in computational skills, methods, and pedagogy along with mentoring that will enhance their research and facilitate their successful transition into a wide range of careers. The program has three phases: 1) a computational skills seminar (“Introduction to Programming for Neuroscientists”), 2) a mentored research project, and 3) a train-the-trainers workshop.Participation in the Introduction to Programming for Neuroscientists workshop will be a pre-requisite for participation in the mentored research project and/or the train-the-trainers course.EligibilityParticipation is open to Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience (NUIN) doctoral students beyond the second year and to postdoctoral fellows affiliated with the NUIN program. This workshop is free of charge to eligible graduate students and postdoctoral fellows. Participants must bring their laptops to class meetings.Date, Time, and LocationThis course will meet 9/19/17 – 12/1/17, 9:00am – 10:30am on Tuesdays with lab time on Fridays, 9:00am – 10:30am. Participants should expect to commit 10 – 15 hours/week to the course, including class time, lab time, and out-of-class work. All class meetings will occur in classrooms on the Chicago campus (exact rooms TBD).ApplicationTo apply, please provide the requested information in this form by 9:00am, August 25.You will be asked to upload the following information as a single PDF:

I understand that this course will require 10 – 15 hours of work/week (including class meetings, open lab time, and out of class assignments) [check box]

Please share the full description of the myDATA program with your PI and ask for them to sign below a sentence that says,

“I [PI NAME] support [APPLICANT NAME]’s participation in the myDATA: Introduction to Programming for Neuroscientists course and understand that participation will require 10 – 15 hours of course-related work between 9/19/17 – 12/1/17.”More about the myDATA: Preparing Science PhDs for Careers in a Data-Driven World project:The myDATA: Preparing Science PhDs for Careers in a Data-Driven World Program is supported through a Burroughs Wellcome Fund Career Guidance for Trainees grant, and is a collaboration between The Graduate School, Northwestern University Information Technology, Northwestern University Libraries, Northwestern University Interdepartmental Neuroscience Program, and the Biostatistics Collaboration Center.Please email Mearah Quinn-Brauner, mearah@northwestern.edu, with any questions.